Embodiments herein generally relate to multifunction devices and more particularly to multifunction devices that can be paired with external devices by having the user take a simple physical action.
Using a networked device usually requires knowing its network address. Many mechanisms exist for discovering network addresses of devices such as printers or multifunction devices (MFDs), for example by crawling the network, or using multicasts or broadcasts. However, it may not be obvious to a non-skilled user which of many addresses discovered in this way corresponds to the device he or she is standing in front of, or wants to use. Finding out the correct network address can be difficult or inconvenient and can involve printing out configuration sheets, navigating device menus and so on, which non-skilled users find difficult and intimidating, even if they know what a network address, e.g., an IP address, looks like. This makes it hard to configure client devices, such as smartphones, with the address of printing device to print to, or scan from, or otherwise use, even if one is standing directly at the intended MFD device. This limits adoption of solutions involving, for example, mobile to MFD communication, and raises administration costs required to deploy such solutions and train people to use them.